I’m all for casual touches, but the way she squeezes my pecs feels dangerously close to groping.
Yeah. I don’t like it.
I step back so her hands fall away.
“You have a great body,” she yells.
Heat climbs my neck, spreading all the way to my ears. “Thanks.” The gym is the best place to blow off steam. With a mother like mine, there tends to be a lot of it.
Apparently, my running away wasn’t hint enough because Tamela does this little side-shuffle to close the distance once more. Then she rakes her nails down my arms, and I use the term “nails” in the loosest sense of the word. They’re more like long neon pink claws that sparkle like her dress.
“Areallygreat body.” Her teeth drag along her lower lip, which I figure is meant to be seductive or whatever, but feels too calculated.
Even when I do bring women back to my place, there’s at least a little connection, superficially. Tamela is hot, but I’m as attracted to her as I am to August.
Strike one.
“Do you come downtown often?”
“Oh, all the time. I love Broadway.”
Strike two.
I’d venture to say most folks who “love Broadway” aren’t from Nashville—or Tennessee for that matter. That or they’re desperately trying to break into the country music scene. Or both.
“Where are you from originally?”
“Oregon.”
“What brought you to Nashville?”
“The music. What else is there?”
The restaurants, the history, the parks, the weather, the lakes, the rivers… I could go on, but there’s no point.
“Can I tell you a secret?” She catches my collar and drags me down so she can shout in my ear. “I’m a singer.”
Strike three.
Not for being a “secret” singer, but for the grabby hands. Normally, I can get on board with grabby, but there needs to be some sort of connection first.
Extricating myself from her hold once more, I force a smile. When my gaze finds Loren’s, she gives me two thumbs up. I must admit, she makes those silly glasses look good.
Too good.
Her cup is empty. Does she need another drink?
She’s not your date, dickhead.
She belongs to someone else.
Maybe so, but technically she’s my guest tonight so the least I can do is ask if she wants another drink. Or food. There are a shitload of vendors.
Probably should ask my actual date first though. “Are you hungry?”
“No!”
Thank goodness. “I’ll be back.” Or not. Tamela doesn’t seem to care as she bobs her head and goes back to dancing with someone else.
